WMO’s global climate report confirms that the first calendar year in 2024 may be more than 1.5°C higher than the pre-industrial era, with its global average near-surface temperature of 1.55±0.13°C above the average level of 1850-1900. This was the warmest year in 175 years of observation.
WMO’s flagship report shows:
- The atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide is [sic] The highest level in the past 800,000 years.
- Over the past decade, everyone on the globe has been a decade of ten years.
- Each of the past eight years has set a new record for seawater content.
- There have been 18 lowest Arctic sea ice regions recorded over the past 18 years.
- The three lowest Antarctic ice volumes in the past three years are.
- The largest three-year loss of glacier mass recorded in history occurred in the past three years.
- Since the beginning of satellite measurements, sea level rise has doubled.
“Our planet is sending more distress signals – but the report shows that long-term global temperature limits to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Leaders must step up to achieve this goal – grasping this year’s new national climate plan, seizing the benefits of cheap, clean renewable energy,” said the UN Secretary.
WMO Secretary General Celeste Saulo said: “While a warm year above 1.5°C does not indicate that the long-term temperature target of the Paris Agreement is out of reach, it is a wake-up call and we are increasing risks to our lives, our economy and our planet.”
The report says that long-term global warming is currently estimated between 1.34 and 1.41°C compared to the 1850-1900 baseline, based on a range of methods – although it points to the uncertainty range of global temperature statistics.
A WMO team of international experts is further investigating this to ensure a consistent, reliable tracking of long-term global temperature changes to align it with intergovernmental groups within the scope of climate change.
Regardless of the method used, each part of the warming matter to a certain extent increases the risk and cost of society.
The record global temperatures that broke in 2023 and 2024 were mainly due to the continued rise in greenhouse gas emissions, coupled with the phenomenon from cooling La Niña to warming El Niño. Several other factors may have led to unexpected temperature jumps, including changes in the solar cycle, large-scale volcanic eruptions and a reduction in cooling aerosols, the report said.
Temperature is just a small part of the larger picture.
“The 2024 data suggests that our oceans continue to warm and sea levels continue to rise. The frozen portion of the Earth’s surface, known as Cryosphere, melts at a shocking rate: glaciers continue to retreat, and Antarctic sea ice reaches its second highest range ever. At the same time, extreme weather is still making a huge impact around the world.
In 2024, tropical cyclones, floods, droughts and other hazards resulted in the largest number of new displacements recorded in the past 16 years, causing worsening the food crisis and causing huge economic losses.
“In response, WMO and global communities are strengthening efforts to strengthen early warning systems and climate services to help policy makers and societies be more resilient to extreme weather and climates in general. We are making progress, but need to go further and go faster. Only half of all countries in the world have sufficient anticipated warning systems.
She stressed that investment in weather, water and climate services is more important than ever.
The report is based on scientific contributions from the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, WMO Regional Climate Center, United Nations partners and dozens of experts. It includes a sidebar that monitors the Paris Agreement global temperature and understands temperature anomalies in 2023 and 2024. It includes complements to climate services and extreme weather.
It is one of a set of WMO scientific reports designed to inform decision-making. It was published before World Water Day on March 23, March 22 and World Glacier Day on March 21.
Key indicators
Atmospheric carbon dioxide
Over the past 800,000 years, the atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, as well as methane and nitrous oxide, were the highest.
The carbon dioxide concentration in 2023 (the global annual figures available for integration last year) was 420.0±0.1 million (ppm), 2.3 ppm exceeded 2022, while pre-industrial levels were 151% (1750). 420 ppm corresponds to 3,276 GT – or 32,760 tons of Co₂ in the atmosphere.
Real-time data from specific locations suggest that levels of these three major greenhouse gases continue to increase in 2024. Carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere and will capture heat for generations.
Global average near-surface temperature
In addition to setting a new record in 2024, every one of the past decade, 2015-2024 is recorded as the warmest year of the decade.
Record temperatures in 2024 were raised by a strong El Niño phenomenon, which peaked at the beginning of the year. During each month between June 2023 and December 2024, the average global temperature per month exceeded all monthly records before 2023.
Record greenhouse gases are the main driver, and the role of turning to El Niño is playing a smaller role.
Ocean heat content
About 90% of the energy captured by greenhouse gases in the Earth’s system is stored in the ocean.
In 2024, ocean heat content reached its highest level in 65 years of observations. Each of the past eight years has set a new record. Over the past two decades (2005-2024), ocean warming was more than twice as fast as that of the period 1960-2005.
Ocean warming can lead to marine ecosystems, loss of biodiversity and a decrease in marine carbohydrate tanks. It burns tropical storms and helps sea level rise. It is irreversible from the centenary to the millennial scale. Climate forecasts suggest that ocean warming will continue even under low carbon emissions at least for the rest of the 21st century.
Ocean acidification
The acidification of the ocean surface continues, as shown by a steady decline in global average sea surface pH. The most severe regional declines are in the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, the equatorial equatorial Pacific, the northern tropical Pacific, and certain parts of the Atlantic Ocean.
The impact of marine acidification on habitat, biodiversity and ecosystems has been clearly observed, as well as food production in shellfish aquaculture and fisheries, and coral reefs have been hit.
Forecasts suggest that ocean acidification will continue to increase in the 21st century, with the rate dependent on future emissions. On the centenary to millennium time scale, the changes in deep pH are irreversible.
Global average sea level
In 2024, the global average sea level was the highest since the 1993 satellite record, with growth rate increasing from 1993-2002 to 4.7 mm per year from 2015-2024.
Sea level rise has a cascading destructive effect on coastal ecosystems and infrastructure, thus further affecting groundwater flooding and saltwater pollution.
Glacier mass balance
The 2022-2024 period was the most negative three-year glacier mass balance on the record. Seven of the ten most negative mass balance years since 1950 have occurred since 2016.
An unusually negative mass balance was experienced in Norway, Sweden, Svalbard and the tropical Andes.
Glacier retreats increase short-term harm, economic and ecosystems, and long-term water security.
Sea ice range
The 18 lowest Arctic sea ice minimum ranges in satellite records have occurred over the past 18 years. Among the records observed in 1979, the Antarctic sea ice range has the second lowest annual minimum.
In 2024, the minimum daily range of sea ice in the Arctic is 4.28 million km2, which is the seventh-level lowest range in 46-year satellite records. In Antarctica, the second lowest daily minimum in the satellite era and marks the third consecutive year that the lowest Antarctic sea ice range has dropped below 2 million km2. These are the three lowest Antarctic ice in satellite records that are extremely small.
Extreme events and impacts
Extreme weather events in 2024 resulted in the largest number of new annual displacements since 2008 and destroyed housing, critical infrastructure, forests, farmland and biodiversity.
By mid-2024, food crises in 18 countries around the world have exacerbated the complex effects of various shocks, such as exacerbating conflicts, droughts and high domestic food prices.
Tropical cyclones are responsible for many of the biggest impact events in 2024. These include Typhoon Yagi in Vietnam, the Philippines and southern China.
In the United States, Hurricane Helen and Milton both made landfall on Florida’s west coast in October, and as major hurricanes, economic losses were tens of thousands of dollars. Since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the most rainfall and flooding among mainland U.S. hurricanes in 2005 have seen more than 200 deaths.
The tropical cyclone Chido caused casualties and economic losses in Mayotte, Mozambique and Malawi in the French Indian Ocean. It was displaced in Mozambique.
Image above and corresponding, connected homepage features: World Meteorological Organization
